A Classy Soapbox and an Incognito Designer

Since Pamela Anderson, the model and former star of the syndicated television series "Baywatch," is an anomaly on the New York scene, she certainly ups the fascination quotient at a fundraiser.

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Steve Nislick, the founder of NYCLASS
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images

On Tuesday, she was the headliner in a taupe Vivienne Westwood dress at the Edison Ballroom at a benefit for New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS). The goal: to help raise awareness against the horse carriage industry and push for the switch to electric vehicles. Ms. Anderson, no doubt, attracted a certain segment of the male donating public, but a bunch of local Manhattan actors came to rally behind her in support, too.

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Kristen Johnston and Pamela Anderson
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images

There was some soapboxing, sure. But it was charming soapboxing.

"I've been living here for 27 years," said the actor John Slattery, who stars on "Mad Men." "These horses are something I've seen for a long time. There's no secret they're beat to hell. These electric vintage cars are a great way to get these horses off the street. The attraction of New York City is New York City, it's not looking at a horse's a—."

Mr. Slattery went on: "I understand it's a charming idea, but not when you watch a horse drag itself on the payment for the 14th hour. It's a simple story. I don't think anyone's suffering except for those horses."

Then it was Kathy Najimy's turn. You might remember her from something else, but we remember her from "Sister Act" and "Hocus Pocus."

"I'm a feminist," said Ms. Najimy, who recently moved back to Columbus Circle from L.A. with her family. "I extend equal rights not just to people, but to horses and other animals."

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The organization's horse-shaped awards
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images

"I cry every day when I see their haunted faces," Ms. Najimy added, of her walks around her neighborhood. "And I say to them, 'I'm so sorry. We're going to fix this.' It's just antiquated. This isn't 1843. We have other ways to get around. I even want Hollywood to stop putting them in their movies."

So "Cinderella" is kind of to blame, eh? "Exactly," said Ms. Najimy. "The only people who benefit are in the carriage industry."

Alongside Ms. Najimy and the famed cinematographer Ellen Kuras, the actress Kristen Johnston ("3rd Rock From the Sun") was getting another of the evening's honors: a bronze bust of a horse's head. "I'll put it next to my Emmys," said Ms. Johnston, who has two.

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Mena Suvari and Selma Blair at the H&M party
Neil Rasmus/BFA

"You know, I'll be honest," she continued. "I don't really love horses. I wasn't a 7-year-old girl who had a horse poster on her wall. But anything that can't speak, I'll be loud for them. I just think if you're going to have a public platform, you might as well do something with it." Ms. Johnston even got naked on a horse for a campaign a few years ago to support the cause. Did it get her any dates? "It got me a lot of new gay friends," she said.

As for Ms. Anderson, she became an activist because, when she was growing up in Canada, her dad was a hunter and she convinced him to stop. And, when she became famous, "I was sick of talking about my boyfriends and my [breasts]," she said. "If you're good to animals, you're good to everyone. New York is loud and crazy and fun, but if you're a horse, it s—." Ms. Anderson said she spent the day in Manhattan working to stop the seal hunt and is about to be on a figure-skating reality show. "I still haven't figured out what I'm good at," she said. "But I like to learn new things."

While we're at banning horse and carriages, can we also talk about banning really annoying parties?

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Susanne Bartsch
David X Prutting/BFA

At the same time as NYCLASS, the fashion retailer H&M hosted a party for its new collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela, set to have its debut next month. It was in an enormous warehouse on Beekman Street, all the way in lower Manhattan. Because this was a huge party, and because there were only two small elevators in operation, to even get to see the clothes, let alone try and purchase them, you had to climb eight or so narrow flights of stairs behind overdressed Williamsburg hipsters in 9-inch heels texting their friends elsewhere at the party. Meanwhile, more overdressed Williamsburg hipsters were carrying huge white shopping bags knocking into you on the way down. On each floor were strange commissioned choreography and art installations.

Martin Margiela, a Belgian designer who is no longer with his own business, is as famous for his avant-garde intellectual fashion as he is for never having been photographed. (He may have passed us on the way down from the party—we doubt anyone would ever know.)

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Sarah Jessica Parker and Kanye West
Neil Rasmus/BFA

When you finally got to the entrance of the shopping area, you had to wait in yet another line to get in, though Sarah Jessica Parker was able to go the VIP way. Though, really, what was Sarah Jessica Parker doing at this party anyway? They wouldn't send her the whole collection if she asked for it? And she really wants $129 trompe l'oeil Margiela sneakers from H&M? (This stuff is not cheap. You'd do better on second markdowns at Barneys.)

We didn't even get to see the clothes because, by the time we got upstairs, we started getting claustrophobic and worried that one of these big white shopping bags was going to knock into us and toss us over the balcony and it would turn into a very special episode of "Gossip Girl."

As we climbed back down the stairs, it occurred to us that maybe the party was all an exercise or a metaphor, of which Mr. Margiela would approve, about the lengths people go to for fashion. We tried to get the corporate angle from H&M, but they didn't return our interview requests by press time.

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